Ball stop for bowling alleys



May 2, 1950 R. 1. ANDERSON 2,505,932

BALL STOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

fiob erifanderaon.

May 2, H950 R. z. ANDERSON BALL STOP'FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ili u/llflllfir ar l tr Iii/I911!!! I... m .i al 0 n w biz/ m faiented May 2, 1950 NI TED s TAT-E Par s NT 0F Fi'cE EALL-ST0P FOR BOWLING ALLEYQS Robert LAn'derson, Grand Haven,"Mich.,.assi'gndi to .The Brunswick BalkfiCollerider Company,

Chicago,*lll., a corporation of-Delaware Application September 2, 19451,;Serial No..55 2,433

14 Claims. ,1

,This invention. relates to bowling-alleys andis particularly concerned .with the ball. return runwayand with means fortarresting the ball as it approaches the terminalportion of therunway.

-Qne ,object of the invention is to provide-anew and. improved ball stop or retarding device foruse inconnection awiththe-ball return of.-a bowling alley.

Another object of the invention is.to pr.ovide meansin combination with the ball return .run- .wa-y for-automatically controlling the speedof the ball asgit approaches the. terminal portion of the runway.

Aiurther object of. the inventionis to .provide means for automatically and temporarily arresting a ball in its return .travel on the runway andvthenautomatically releasing. thelball to permit its continued movement to the terminal .of the runway.

.It is also, an object of the .inventionto provide a. ,ball return runway with .means adjacent its terminal portion normally positioned .to arrest the ball as it approaches said portion, together with delayedaaction means setinmotion bylthe arrival of the ,ball at .such arresting means vfor automaticallyreleasing it therefrom after albrief interval, ,the runway being .incline'd .I'from "that point toward the terminal, so that the .ball will .continueits movement when released.

,More, specifically the invention .provides a ball rcturnrunway with a normally operative stop ,cljeviceto ,arresta ball as. it approaches the terminalportion of the runway. and withelectrically operable means connected for shifting .thestop to ball-"releasing position, and a switch which'is closed by the presence of the ball ,at Ithestop and which thus actuates.thereleaslngndeviceto P rmit the ball to continuealongan adjacentiinclined section of the runway toward its terminal.

...,O,the,r objects and advantages of the inventiqn will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in

Fig. ,1 is a side elevation of "the stop and release mechanism embodiedin this invention, the view being taken as a section through the supportingstructureas indicated atline LI-l on Fig. 2,. and the position of a bowling ball being indicatedin dotted outline.

Rig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated at ,line .2-52 .on Ei Fig.3 is atop plan view of .the mechanism, with a ,portion of the structure shown in section as indicated at .line .3-3 cnFig. 2.

Fig. .4 is a detail sectionitakenas'lindicatdiat 1inej4- -4 on.jFig."3.

While the invention is. susceptible .of various modifications. and. alternative constructions, it is shown in the drawings and will be described here- 'ea fter'in, aipreferred embddimentfbutit is not intended that the invention belimited "thereby to the specific embodimentdisclose'd,but rather, itisiintendedto cover allmddific'ations and alternative constructions falling within 2 the spirit scope of the appended'claims.

'Tl'le..ba1l returnrunway of 'a'bowling alley usually includes a horizontal terminal portionon which'the"balls are accumulatedin 'a convenient position adjacent .the.approach end of the alley wheretthey can be picked up as wanted bythe bowlers. This terminal portion is somewhat elevated abovethe'levellofthe mainpcrtion of therunway so that an upwardly inclined portion connects them and as the. balftraverses this upwardly sloping approachto the terminal its speed is .cQnSiderablyreduced. "Fig. "li'show's a'iragment of the"ball return runway which "includes the ,portion I at'the highest point 'of theupwar'dly inclined sectionjust"menticned," the horizontal portion" 2 which is a part" of the"t'erminal station at which the balls accumulate, arid an intermediate portion 3 which is inclined "downwardly "from"th'ehigh point or "summit i tuward the terminal 'section'2. Uprightisupportst and 5 .are "dispcsed, "respectively at opposite "sides of the-inclined portion 3 "ofthe runway'and these supports together with the mechanism carried by themimay be enclosedbetween'prnamental side walls '6, 6 indicated in "dotted outline "in The support '4 "carries a stop member "in the form of .a movable wedge I which normally proiectsinto'the path "of :the 'ball shown inclctted lines at A, as itapproa'ches the'terminalportion 2 of the runway. Theopposite-support tii's provided with a padfiengageaible*with'the'ball when it is arrested by the wedge"! Thewedge 'lis'carried by an approximate'lyvertical rock sh'aftw andas seen in Fig. '3 this shaft is providedwith anarm in which is pivotallyconnected at i! to "one end of-a link 12. Thelinkl'fi ispivoted at 13 to alink 'lfiandtheoppos'ite endhfsaid link "li t is fulcrume'd one fixed p'rvot "at 1'5. The links 12 and I4 constitute a toggle, so that when they are disposed with their connecting pivot it at one side of the line connecting the pivots ii and 4.5, and stopped in this position, they .act as a strut to prevent rotation of theshaft 9 ina .direction to swing the wedge .member '1 away Tirom the runway and out of engagement with the ball A thereon. A vertically extending plate it serves as a stop against which the toggle links l2 and M are checked for thus holding the wedge member l in operative position, and a spring ll connected to the link [4 yieldingly maintains engagement of the toggle with the edge of the plate it.

The plate It is in the nature of a bell crank lever, being fulcrumed on a pivot Hi. This fulcrum pivot is supported by a bracket is secured to the horizontal web 29 which is shown as integral with the uprights i and 5 (see Fig. 2) and one limit of movement of the plate it about its pivot 18 is determined by engagement of a lug [6a on said plate with said web 20, as seen in Fig. 4. The uprights 4 and 5 also support a motor 2| coupled to a vertical shaft 22 which carries a mechanism similar to a centrifugal governor and which comprises a bracket 23 with a pair of arms 24, 24 depending pivotally therefrom and connected by links 25, 25 to a bracket 28 slidable upon the shaft 22. A cross-pin 27 in the bracket 26 extends through a slot in the shaft to engage a rod 28 telescopically carried in said shaft 22, so that as the shaft rotates the arms 2d are swung outwardly by centrifugal force and thus operate to raise the bracket 26 and the rod 28. The rod is thrust upwardly against the flange 56-2; of the bell crank lever or plate it and thus rocks the lever against the toggle links l2, l4, swinging their pivot 13 past dead center position or breaking" the toggle so that it no longer acts as a rigid strut to hold the wedge 'l in ball arresting position.

This release of the wedge I is accomplished automatically but with a slight delay after arrival of the ball A at the stop or wedge member I. As it reaches this position the ball depresses the head 3!] of a control rod 3i slidably carried in a bracket 32 on which there is fulcrumed a lever arm 33 carrying a mercury switch 34 which controls the operating circuit for the motor 2!. The lower end of the rod 38 engages the arm 33, as seen in Fig. 1, so that depression of the head by the ball A tilts the arm to a position at which the mercury switch 34 closes the motor circuit and thus initiates rotation of the motor and of the shaft 22. As the shaft gains speed the arms 25 are swung outward by centrifugal force as already described and thus actuate the rod 28 and lever It to break the toggle l2, 14. Since the ball A is resting on the downwardly inclined portion 3 of the ball return runway the weight of the ball operates to swing the wedge member i aside so that the ball may pass and roll onto the horizontal terminal portion 2 of the runway.

As the ball rolls on the head 30 of the control rod 3i the weight or the arm 33 returns it to its initial position so that a brake shoe 35 carried by arm 33 is brought into engagement with a brake wheel in the form of a disc 36 secured to the shaft 22 for rotation therewith. The return of the arm 33 to normal position thus opens the circuit of the motor 24 and simultaneously applies the brake 35 to the disc 36, arresting the shaft 22 and permitting the rod 28 to recede downwardly away from the bell crank lever l6. At the same time the spring ll operates to return the toggle l2, Hi to its initial position past dead center, thus swinging the wedge member 1 into ball arresting position and locking it, ready to receive the next ball which arrives over the crest or summit l of the ball return runway. Fig. 1 includes a simple wiring diagram showlng feed wires 49 and Al for the motor 2| with leads 42 and 43 extending from the feed wire 41 into the mercury switch 34.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop comprising stationary supports disposed, respectively, at opposite sides of said inclined runway, with a ball engaging means on each of said supports, one of said means including a stop member mounted for movement horizontally into and out of the path of a ball and normally extending into said path, electrically actuated mechanism operable to release said member for movement away from said path, a single switch device operable to closed position by the ball substantially upon its arrival at said stop member, and an electric circuit controlled by said switch serving to energize said mechanism, said mechanism for releasing the stop member operating while the ball is motionless in the runway at the stop member at the position Where the switch was closed.

2. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a stop member mounted for movement into and out of the path of a ball on said inclined portion and normally extending into said path, electrically actuated mechanism operable to release said member for movement away from said path, a normally open switch with means operable by the ball to close said switch substantially upon arrival of the ball at said stop member, an electric circuit controlled by said switch serving to energize said mechanism for releasing the stop, means automatically opening the switch after the ball has passed the released stop, and means automatically returning the stop to its normal 0perative position said mechanism for releasing the stop member operating while the ball is motionless in the runway at the stop member at the position where the switch was closed.

3. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a rock shaft extending adjacent said inclined portion with a wedge member carried by said shaft and normally extending into the path of a ball on the inclined portion, means normally holding said shaft against rotating in a direction to swing the wedge member away from said path, and means rendered operative by the arrival of a ball in engagement with said wedge member, said means releasing the first mentioned means and thereby the shaft and thus permitting the ball to force the wedge aside and roll down the runway toward the terminal.

4. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a rock shaft extending adjacent said inclined portion with a wedge member carried by said shaft and normally extending into the path of a ball on the inclined portion, an arm on said shaft, a pair of links pivoted together forming a toggle and connecting said arm with a fixed fulcrum, stop means engaged by said toggle when its connecting pivot is at one side of its dead center position, whereby the toggle acts as a strut to prevent rotation of the shaft, and means rendered operative by the arrival of a ball in engagement with the wedge member, said means shifting said stop means to carry the toggle pivot to the other side of dead center, permitting the toggle to buckle so that the wedge ma s-sw ne asidem resrqn eiat e press re-P #the aa n t 5.,In a bowling alley, in combination with a leasable means normally effective to hold said stopmember in said position, an electric motor with a control switch therefor including an operating member, actuated by a ball upon its arrival at the, stop member, and a centrifugal de- 'vic'e operable by rotation of the motor, with connections from said device to said means for releasing said means and thereby the stop to permit the ball to proceed down the incline of the runway- 6. ,In a bowling alley,, in combination with a hball retmn runway having, a ,portion, inclined downwardly towardits terminal, a ball stop including a stop member normally projecting into the path of a ball on said inclined portion, an electric motor with a control switch therefor including an operating member actuated by a ball upon its arrival at the stop member, and a centrifugal device including a shaft rotated by the motor, a pair of arms pendulously pivoted to the shaft, a bracket slidable along the shaft and linked to said arms, and a member telescoped with the shaft and movable axially by said bracket, together with means transmitting the movement of said telescopic member to shift the stop member from ball arresting position.

7. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined 35 downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a stop member normally projecting into the path of a ball on said inclined portion, a toggle device which normally locks the stop member in its projecting position, an electric motor with a control switch therefor including an operating member actuated by a ball upon its arrival at the stop member, and a centrifugal device operable by rotation of the motor to buckle the toggle past dead center for releasing the stop to permit the ball to proceed down the incline of the runway.

8. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a stop member normally projecting into the path of a ball on said inclined portion, a, toggle device which normally locks the stop member in its projecting position, an electric motor with a control switch therefor including an operating member actuated by a ball upon its arrival at the stop member, and a centrifugal device operable by rotation of the motor to buckle the toggle past dead center for releasing the stop to permit the ball to proceed down the incline of the runway, together with spring means automatically returning the stop member to projecting position and returning the toggle to locking position.

9. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a stop member normally projecting into th path of a ball on said inclined portion, an electric motor with control means therefor including a head normally projecting into the runway in position to be depressed by a ball upon its arrival at the stop member, a tiltable switch connected in the motor circuit, and means transmitting motion from said head to said cline of the. runway? into the path of a ball on said inclined p an electric motor a with control. means-therefpr including a head normally projectin into ,the runway in position to be depressed by a, ballupon its arrival at the stop member, a tiltables connected in the motor circuit, and means ,transhead is depressed, Said transmittingmeans;

, switch for tilting-it into ircuit plpsing,positign when the (head is. dpressed and a cent [device operable by; rotation ofthe no or bonnectionslfrom said, device for, releasing the stir permit the l ierrq eei, are, it .11.

10. In a bowling alley in,combination yvith'a ball return runway having a portion in clined fdownwardly toward its terminal fa ball stop including a 'stop member .normally, projie tch mitting motion from said head to, said, switch for tilting it into circuit-closing position when the cluding a eliah eler armlacen u el devic operable by rotation of the motor with connections from said device for releasing the stop to permit the ball to proceed down the runway, a brake wheel driven by the motor, and a brake shoe on said rockable lever disengageable from the wheel by the depression of said head and engageable with said wheel when the head is released as the ball moves down the incline.

11. In a bowling alley having a ball return runway including a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop comprising a rock shaft extending adjacent said inclined portion with a stop member operatively associated with said shaft and normally extending into the path of a ball on the inclined portion, means normally holding said shaft against rotation in a direction to swing the stop member away from said path, and means rendered operative by the arrival of a ball in engagement with said stop member, said means releasing said holding means and thereby the shaft and thus permitting the ball to force the stop member aside and roll down the runway toward said terminal.

12. In a bowling alley having a ball return runway including a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop comprising a movable stop member normally projecting in ball engaging position into the path of a ball on said inclined portion, means adjacent said stop member and operatively connected thereto normally maintaining said member in ball engaging position, means operated by the ball upon contact of the ball with the stop member for withdrawing said member from its ball engaging position, and means operatively connected to said stop member for automatically returning said stop member to ball engaging position after the ball has passed therebeyond.

13. In a bowling alley, in combination with a. ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop including a stop member normally projecting into the path of a ball on said inclined portion, a base member adjacent thereto, a toggle device including a pair of links having one end of each pivotally connected together with the other end of the first link operatively and rotatably attached to the stop member and the other end of the other link rotatably attached to said base member, said links normally being substantially aligned to lock the stop member in its projecting position, an electric motor with a control switch therefor including an operating member actuated by a ball upon its arrival at the stop memher, and means operable by rotation of the motor to buckle the toggle past dead center for releasing the stop to permit the ball to proceed down the incline of the runway, said means including a movable member bearing laterally against said links for buckling the same.

14. In a bowling alley, in combination with a ball return runway having a portion inclined downwardly toward its terminal, a ball stop comprising stationary supports disposed, respectively, at opposite sides of said inclined runway, with a ball engaging means on each of said supports, one of said means including a stop member mounted for movement horizontally into and out of the path of a ball and normally extending into said path, toggle means normally locking said stop member in a position in the path 01 a ball, electrically actuated mechanism having a member bearing against said toggle means and operable to buckle said toggle means to release said stop member for movement away from 8 Ii said path, a switch device operable by the ball substantially upon its arrival at said stop member, and an electric circuit controlled by said switch serving to energize said mechanism, said mechanism when energized moving its said memberlaterally against said toggle means to move thesame and the stop member into unlocked position. v v

" ROBERT I. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,139,588 Seitz May 18, 1915 2,230,758 Lund Feb. 4, 1941 12,306,955 Karbusky Dec. 29, 1942 2,341,386 Reichelt Feb. 8, 1944 

